AC Milan have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Chelsea star Olivier Giroud in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, AC Milan have joined local rivals Inter Milan in being offered the chance to sign Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud in the January transfer window. But, the Rossoneri have other priorities, with a move for Zlatan Ibrahimovic being formulated.
Giroud joined Chelsea from Arsenal in January 2017 in a surprise move. The last two years, though, have not exactly been fruitful on a personal level for the French superstar, even though he has won the FA Cup and the Europa League with the Blues.
For much of the last two years, Giroud has played second fiddle to several strikers, with Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi currently ahead of him in the pecking order. As a result, the veteran striker has managed to start just three game for Chelsea so far this season, and his current status has reportedly forced him to consider his future at Stamford Bridge.
With Didier Deschamps in the process of finalising his squad for the UEFA Euro 2020, Giroud senses the need to feature regularly at club level in order to retain his starting role for the French national side. As a result, the 33-year-old is eager to secure a January move away from Chelsea and has offered himself to AC Milan through his agent, to that end.
The goals have dried up for AC Milan, who have managed to find the back of the net just 13 times in 14 Serie A games this term. One of their joint-top scorers this season is actually a defender, with Theo Hernandez netting three goals, as many as Kyzysztof Piatek.
Piatek’s fellow striker Rafael Leao has also struggled for consistency since joining AC Milan in the summer. As a result, Giroud is a viable target to pursue for AC Milan, with the relatively slower pace of Serie A footballer likely to suit him a lot.
The Rossoneri, though, are holding off on making a move for the Chelsea star, who is only likely to be a fallback option for them. Instead, AC Milan are plotting a January move for former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract with LA Galaxy.
Likewise, Inter Milan, who were also offered the chance to sign Giroud in the January transfer window, are not prioritising a move for the French international. Should he be unable to secure a January exit, Chelsea run the risk of losing Giroud on a free transfer, with the contract he signed earlier this year running out next summer.
As far as the January transfer window is concerned, it remains to be seen if AC Milan turn their attention towards Giroud, should they be unable to sign Ibrahimovic. For now, what appears to be certain is that the 33-year-old is eager to leave Chelsea in the winter window.
